Electric lamp



R. S. PEIRCE.

ELECTRIC LAMP. APPLlc/Tlon `FILED ria. a. 1915. RENEwEo APR. l2. |919.

1 ,32 1,242. Patented N 0V. 11, 1919.

RALPH S. PEIRCE, OF HINSDALE', ILLINOIS.

ELECTRIC LAMP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 11', 1919.

Application led lFebruary 8, 1915, Serial No. 6,711. Renewed April 12, 1919. Serial No. 289,732.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it kno-wn that I, RALPH S. PEiRon, a

'citizen of the United States, residing at which the following is a full, clear, concise,

and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to electric lamps and supports therefor and has for its object the provision of a construction whereby such lamps may have their base portions inserted within the sockets of candle sticks, standards, or other socket supports. Y

In carrying out my invention I equip the lamp base with a portion adapted for reception within a socket usually without requiring any modification in the structure of the socket or support carrying the socket. This base portion is changeable in size or cross sectional dimension or width to adapt it to diering sizes of sockets, such as the varying sized candlereceiving Vcups or sockets in the upper ends of candle sticks. There is preferably an expansion device of which the aforesaid lamp base portion constitutes a part and which part is a complement coacting therewith for e'ecting the necessary expansion of the portion of the lamp base that enters the socket to insure the firm assembly of the lamp and socket.

I will explain my invention more fully by reference to the accompanying drawing showing the preferred embodiment thereof and in which Figure 1 is a view in elevation illustrating one embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 is a view of part ofthe structure illustrated in Fig. 1 taken in a direction at right angles to that in which Fig. 1 is taken, part of the structure shown in this view being indicated in section; Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3 3 of Fig. 1; 4 is a sectional view on line 4f 4c of Fig. 2 but on a larger scale; and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of component parte of the structure.

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughout the vdifferent figures.

Any suitable form o f socketed support 1 may be used in embodying the invention, the

support shown being in the form of a standard such as is commonly employed as a candle stick. The standard illustrated is formed of metal having a cup portion 2 which constitutes the socket of the support. The lamp 3 illustrated is an incandescent electric lamp having a filament 4L adapted for inclusion in circuit with current conductors 5 by means of a well known switch having a knob v6. The base 7 constituting the mounting for the glass bulb of the lamp includes an extension 8 for reception within the socket 2,this extension being desirably inthe form of atubular'stem having a side opening 9 near its upper end for the passage of the circuit. wires between the interiorl and exterior of the stem whereby ythe lamp may be adapted to a socketed support which does not have a longitudinal bore for the passage of wire. By making the stem 8 tubular throughout the structure may also be well adapted to those supports through which wires may be extended upwardly to pass clear through the bore of Ythe stem.y The opening .-9 may beY provided with a bushing of insulation 10 to guard the conductors 5 and this opening may be continued through aV downsetting sleeve 11l employed for afording connection between the stem 8 and the base of the lamp and which is held in fixed relation to said stem by a set screw 12. The stem 8 is desirably threaded upon its exterior to have threaded connection with the sleeve 11 at its upper end and with a'finishing skirt 13 at its intermediate portion, said skirt abutting against the shoulder 14 integrally formed with the stem 8. This skirt desirably has an outsetting flange 15 which engages the marginal portion of the socket to improve the appearance of the place of union between the lamp and its socketed support. I desirably employ two inverted cup-shaped washers 16 and 17 having downsetting spring fingers integrally formed therewith and which are inwardly curled as indicated at 161, 171 and within the interiors of which cups washers 18 and 19 are disposed. The lower washer 19 has threaded engagement with the lower portion of the stem 8 while the upper washer 18 is free to move upon the stem without turning. Before the lamp structure is inserted within the socket the threaded washer or nut 19 is turned until the lower cup 17 .engages the upper washer 18 and is continued to be turned until both washers 18 and 19 expand the cups 16 and 17 to have the most bulging portion thereof slightly larger than the bore of the socket 2. The inwardly curled ends 161, 17l of the spring fingers of the washers, when thus expanded, are themselves within the circle of the socket so that the entry of the cups within the socket may be effected, such entry being followed by the compression of the spring fingers of the cups to bring the cups into tight engagement with the socket. After the cups have thus been brought into pressing engagement with the socket, such engagement may be improved as by turning the standard 1 in a clockwise direction, the cups turning with the standard, the lower cup Jforcing the threaded washer 19 to turn upon the stem 8. To insure the movement of the washer 19 when the standard 1 is turned the washer is desirably provided with projections 20 which enter spaces between the spring lingers of the cup 17. In expanding the cup 17 its movement along the stem 8 is forced, the upper end of this cup engaging the sliding washer 18 to cause it to expand the cup 16. Under certain conditions it might be impossible to turn the socket 2 in which event it would sufce to secure the necessary relative motion by turning the lamp structure, a result which is readily feasible while the conductors 5 are detached from the supply circuit or if these conductors extend throughout the length of the stem 8 and through the standard supporting the socket 2, a hollow passage for the conductors through the standard being indicated at 21 by dotted lines.

While 'I have herein shown and particularly described the preferred embodiment of my invention I do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction shown as changes may readily be made without departing from the spirit of my invention, but having thus described my invention I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent the following An electric lamp structure including as onevof its elements an electric lamp having a threaded stem with a threaded washer thereon, in combination with a complemental element in the form of a socket into which said stem projects and which socket contains a cup-shaped washer having iingers integrally formed therewith, said cupshaped washer being engaged by said threaded washer which operates upon the fingers of the cup-shaped washer when the stem and threaded washer are relatively turned to force these fingers into engagement with the socket to hold the lamp base and socket together.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this fifteenth day of January RALPH S. PEIRCE; Witnesses:

G. L. CRAGG,

ETTA L. WHITE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents7 Washington, D. C. 

